1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to an improved method for viewing a plurality of network locations concurrently, and in particular to a method and system for retrieving and displaying a plurality of network locations in response to a single user input. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for specifying a predetermined group of network locations automatically and contemporaneously displaying the predetermined group in response to a single user input.
2. Description of the Related Art
The development of computerized information resources, such as interconnection of remote computer networks, allows users of data processing systems to link with other "servers" and networks, and thus retrieve vast amounts of electronic information heretofore unavailable in an electronic medium. A server provides interconnection among communicating networks. Such electronic information is increasingly displacing more conventional means of information transmission such as newspapers, magazines, and even television. Often, users desire quick access to specific information on a reoccurring basis. It is therefore desirable to maximize efficiency and minimize complexity when retrieving information from predetermined locations utilizing a computer.
In computer communications, a set of computer networks which are possibly dissimilar from one another are joined together by "gateways". Gateways provide data transfer and conversion of messages from the sending network to the protocols and data type utilized by the receiving network. A gateway is a device utilized to connect dissimilar networks, or networks utilizing different communication protocols, such that electronic information utilizing different standards can be processed and transmitted from network to network. Gateways convert information to a form compatible with the protocols utilized by other networks for transport and delivery.
One type of remote network commonly utilized in recent years is the Internet. The term "Internet" is an abbreviation for "Internetwork," and is commonly utilized to describe the collection of networks and gateways which are compatible with the TCP/IP suite of protocols. TCP/IP protocols are well-known in the art of computer networking. TCP/IP is an acronym for "Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol," a software protocol developed by the Department of Defense for communication between computers.
The Internet can be described as a system of geographically distributed remote computer networks interconnected by computers which provide an interface that allow users to interact and share information over the networks. Because of such wide-spread information sharing, remote networks such as the Internet have thus far generally evolved into an "extensive" system which developers can provide information or services essentially without restriction.
Electronic information transferred between data processing networks is usually presented in "hypertext", a metaphor for presenting information in a manner in which text, images, sounds, and actions become linked together in a complex non-sequential "web" of associations. The web of associates permit a user to "browse" or "navigate" through related topics, regardless of the presented order of the topics. Such links are often established by both the author of a hypertext document, and by the user depending on the intent of the hypertext document.
For example, traveling among links to the word "iron" in an article displayed within a graphical user interface, in a data processing system, might lead the user to the periodic table of the chemical elements (i.e., linked by the word "iron"), or to a reference to the utilization of iron in weapons in Europe in the Dark Ages.
The term "hypertext" was coined in the 1960s to describe documents, as presented by a computer, that express the nonlinear structure of ideas, as opposed to the linear format of books, film, and speech. The term "hypermedia," on the other hand, more recently introduced, is nearly synonymous with "hypertext," but focuses on the non-textual components of hypertext, such as animation, recorded sound, and video.
A typical networked system which utilizes hypertext and hypermedia conventions follows a client/server architecture. The "client" is a member of a class or group that utilizes the services of another class or group to which it is not related. Thus, in computing, a client is a process (i.e., roughly a program or task) that requests a service provided by another program active in a "server". The client process utilizes the requested service without having to "know" any working details about the other program or the service itself. In a client/server architecture, particularly a networked system, a client is usually a computer that accesses shared network resources provided by a server (i.e., another computer).
A request for information by a user is sent by a client application program to a server. A server is typically a remote computer system accessible over a remote network, such as the Internet. The server scans and searches for raw (e.g., unprocessed) information sources, for example, newswire feeds or newsgroups. Based upon the user's request, the server presents filtered electronic information as a server response to the client process.
The client process may be active in a first computer system, and the server process may be active in a second computer system. The client and server communicate with one another over a communications medium, thus providing distributed functionality and allowing multiple clients to take advantage of the information-gathering capabilities of a single server.
Free or relatively inexpensive computer software applications such as Internet "search engines," allow a user to locate sites where an individual can obtain information on a topic of interest. A person utilizing a graphical user interface of a computer system may enter a subject or key word which generates a list of network sites or "web sites". "Home pages" or title pages for a web site are published by thousands of companies, universities, government agencies, museums, and municipalities. Thus, the Internet can be an invaluable information resource.
A client and server can communicate with one another utilizing the functionality provided by Hypertext-Transfer Protocol (HTTP). The World Wide Web (WWW) or, simply, the "web," includes those servers adhering to the HTTP standard, such servers are accessible to clients via a computer or data-processing system network address, such as a Universal Resource Locator (URL). A network location can be directly accessed by utilizing a Universal Resource Locator address.
Active within the client is a first process, known as a "browser," which establishes the connection between the client and the server and presents information to the user on a graphical user interface. The server itself executes corresponding server software which presents information to the client in the form of HTTP responses. The HTTP responses correspond to "web pages" constructed from a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), or other server-generated data. A client and a server may be coupled to one another via a Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP) or a TCP/IP connection for high-capacity communication.
Generally a client displays a browser and data received from the network is displayed via a graphical user interface. A graphical user interface is a type of display format that enables a user to choose commands, start programs, and see lists of files and other options by pointing to pictorial representations (icons or selectable buttons) and/or lists of menu items on the display. User selections are generally activated either with a keyboard or a mouse.
A graphical user interface (GUI) can be employed by a user to start processes, view file content and to select tools. Additionally, a GUI allows a user to command many selectable tools by pointing to a desired selection and depressing a push button typically utilizing a mouse. A desired selection might be a textual reference, a toolbar button, or a selection from a list of menu items on a computer display screen.
A user selectable choice can generally be activated by either a keyboard or a push button switch located on a pointing device such as a "mouse". A mouse is a commonly utilized pointing device, generally containing more than one button. A pointing device allows a user to interact with a product or operating environment, such as a graphical user interface. In many graphical user interfaces, a vertical or horizontal bar at the side, bottom or top of a graphical user interface window can be utilized in conjunction with a pointing device such as a mouse, trackball, or stylus to quickly select features of the application program.
Additional vertical and horizontal bars may contain "selectable buttons." Selectable buttons are commonly called "icons" by those familiar with graphical user interfaces. An icon is a selectable button viewable within a graphical user interface, typically containing a pictorial representation or a mnemonic representative of a selectable feature.
Generally, the pictorial representation contained within an icon is a graphic symbol allowing a user to associate an icon with a particular selectable function. An icon can be selected by pointing to the icon utilizing a pointing device and activating a push-button on the mouse when the icon is pointed to. Pointing to a selection and depressing a mouse button is commonly referred to by those having skill in the art as "pointing and clicking" on the icon or on the menu item. Pointing and clicking is a user friendly way to select a particular function or software application. Generally, an icon contains a visual mnemonic which allows a user to identify a selection without having to remember commands or type in commands utilizing a keyboard as is required in a disk operating system (DOS) environment.
Horizontal or vertical bars containing textual menu category headings are commonly referred to as menu bars. Horizontal or vertical bars containing icons are commonly referred to as toolbars. Toolbars are a well known part of graphical user interfaces which simplifies access to files and allows the user to perform complicated system commands by pointing and clicking on a selectable item within the graphical user interface. Toolbar selectable user commands provide efficient interface between the user and a computer system. Often, user selectable commands located on a toolbar are duplicated in the menu bar.
It is easier and more efficient to activate selections within a toolbar than to locate and select menu headings and corresponding menu items. Menu items and sub-menu items are not continuously displayed and a menu heading must be selected to view a list of menu items contained under the menu heading.
It is often difficult for a user to locate desirable information resources, or web pages and locating a pertinent resource can consume a substantial amount of time. Locating an information resource is typically done by keyword searching. Keyword searching is accomplished when a user provides a keyword and instructs the client via a server to search for information resources having the keyword or information resources linked to the keyword. Typically, the user receives voluminous information from the Internet when a keyword search is performed. A single retrieval can provide links to a considerable quantity of web sites. Next, the user must sort through the received information for desirable data.
Web pages or network locations can also be accessed by a client which specifies a unique network address (i.e., Universal Resource Locator or URL). A Universal Resource Locator has two basic components, the protocol to be utilized and the object pathname. For example, the Universal Resource Locator address, "http://www.uspto.gov" is the home page for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. This address specifies a hypertext-transfer protocol ("http") and a pathname of the server ("www.uspto.gov"). The server name is associated with a unique numeric value (TCP/IP address).
The graphical portion of the World Wide Web itself is usually stocked with more than twenty-two million "pages" of content, with over one million new pages added every month. With a little practice, a user can skim millions of web pages or thousands of newsgroups, not only for topics of general interest, but also to access desirable and meaningful data. However, locating and scanning web pages can consume hours and hours of a users time. The market for Internet access and related applications is explosive and utilization of the Internet is growing faster than expected, doubling in size approximately every three months. Because of the growth of the "Internet" and the so-called "World Wide Web" in recent years, the amount of data which must be screened to get desirable data is overwhelming.
In order to avoid the inefficiencies of relocating a resource after it is has been initially located, a "bookmark" "favorite" or "hotlist" function is typically offered as part of the graphical user interface within a web browser application program. Generally, a bookmark is a universal resource locator address which is stored by the browser. When a bookmark is selected, the corresponding URL address is sent to a server by a client, then the desired location is accessed and corresponding information is retrieved efficiently with minimal user input and effort.
A typical user stores a considerable quantity of bookmark locations. However, limited space is available on the computer display to display bookmarks. Typically, a user places bookmark locations in folders, which reside in menus and sub-menus. Locating bookmarks in folders menus and/or sub-menus complicates bookmark access.
Often, a particular network location or web page of interest has "links" displayed. Links or linked keywords provide a quick and efficient access to other web pages which having information related to the highlighted keyword. Typically, the link displayed provides a URL address which resides in hidden text within the displayed web page.
When a user points and clicks on a displayed link, a browser will retrieve the hidden URL address and then directly access the web page associated with the displayed link utilizing the URL found in the hidden text.
Typically, links within a web page provide quick access to identical or related subject matter. Selecting and retrieving a linked web page allows fast and efficient examination of the linked subject matter for relevance. Browsing through many web pages and bookmarking web pages of interest is a highly desirable feature. However, when a session of browsing by a user is complete, the web pages accessed and bookmarked reside in random order or unorganized fashion in the pulldown bookmark menu.
Often, when a user locates a web page which is useful, the web page will have many links to other web pages having similar subject matter. Typically, a user will desire to visit all of the links provided. Selecting a link utilizing a pointing device will display the web page associated with the selected link. However, when a plurality of links are available the process of visiting all of the linked web sites for relevancy is inefficient. It is time consuming for a user to select a link, determine that the linked web page is not relevant and then select another link.
In a typical browser the user can select a "go back" or "backwards" feature to return to the initial web page. However, after repeated selection of links and go back commands a user can lose track of which links have been accessed and which links have not been visited.
A user can bookmark network locations but trying to revisit the related bookmarks created through visiting linked web pages and having a common theme of subject matter is very difficult.
Currently, to add to a bookmark or hotlist a user displays a web page and selects the menu item entitled bookmark or hotlist. The graphical user interface displays a pulldown menu in response to the click and a list containing folders or URLs is displayed, then the user clicks on the add to bookmark selection and the network address of the presently displayed data is loaded into the bookmark pulldown menu.
It would be preferred to allowed a user to efficiently preview a plurality of web sites to determine the web sites relevance to the users interest. This would allow a user to efficiently organize and store linked web sites such that access to a group of desirable the web sites can be quick and immediate. Proficient management of related web sites for immediate information gathering would be advantageous.
For example, an investor in the stock market might desire to visit a group of informational web sites on a daily basis to review changes to those pages. An investor might want to visit an investors advisory network location, a network location having information on how foreign markets closed and another network location having comments made by the Federal Reserve Chairman.
Currently, a user must manually retrieve each page and sequentially down load and view the data. For some users it is desirable to retrieve all desired pages and concurrently view the pages for content or relevancy.
A typical browser displays only a single web page. However, a display has the resolution to display at least four web pages concurrently with legible resolution.
The established method of displaying one web page at a time requires a user to go back and forth between web pages. Many browsers provide a selectable button on the graphical user interface called "forward and "backward" or "go back". These selectable features allow a rotation of the retrieved pages to the display. However, a user does always not know what will be displayed in response to selection of the "forward" and "go back" command.
Alternately, most graphical user interfaces allow adjustment of the size of sub-windows. This allows a user to enlarge a window or shrink a window. Thus, a user can enlarge sub-windows desired for viewing and shrink sub-windows not currently being viewed by the user. In a Microsoft.TM. windowing environment the menu items minimize and maximize are available to provide this feature.
Manually accessing multiple web sites and waiting for each download, then rotating through active sub-windows or minimizing and maximizing screen sizes is an inefficient and tedious method of viewing multiple web pages. To simplify a daily routine of accessing multiple web sites, it would be desirable to place several network addresses into a folder with a common title for efficient access. An automated system for quickly and directly retrieving linked web pages would also be highly desirable.
To select multiple network locations within a bookmark requires tedious interaction with the computer. Selection of multiple bookmarked locations requires manually selecting the bookmark menu heading and traversing the pulldown menu associated with the bookmark menu heading with the mouse button depressed and select a menu item in the pulldown menu, such as a folder. Next, the folder must be selected and opened, and finally a URL address or bookmark must be selected.
With known graphical user interfaces, each time a folder which is listed under a menu heading in a sub-menu requires selection, user precision is required to highlight the menu heading, traverse the newly displayed sub-menu items while keeping the mouse button depressed, and then releasing the mouse button or double clicking the mouse button on the desired selection. A computer operator is required to perform abrupt changes in the motion of the mouse in coordination with a mouse button to select a concealed menu item that resides within a folder. During menu item selection, a user cannot be clumsy or inattentive, because a menu item selection might be made which was not desired.
A sub-menu item is typically less than quarter of an inch in height on a typical display or monitor. Therefore, substantial dexterity is required to traverse menus and select desired menu items utilizing a pointing device, further coordinated with mouse button activation to move bookmarks to common folders. Erroneous menu selections results when a user over-shoots his intended menu item selection by only a fraction of an inch.
To access multiple web sites requires repeating the above interaction repeatedly for each network location. Minimal user input would be desirable to efficiently access multiple network locations. A user friendly interface for accessing associated bookmarks concurrently would provide a user friendly interface.
Based on the foregoing, it can be seen that a need exists for fast and efficient retrieval of data from a group of predetermined web sites. It would therefore be desirable to devise a method of minimal complexity which allows users to efficiently command a computer to classify or group web sites for group access. It would be further advantageous to devise a method to allow a user to manage a list of linked network locations such that the user can re-access the predetermined group of network locations utilizing a single user input. Additionally, it would be advantageous if the method would retain current toolbar behavior, but extend user functionality and decrease visual complexity.